Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt

August 23, 1997

Comprehension

Cleopatra's life was short but eventful. Though she was an Egyptian queen, she was Roman. She was 35 when she committed suicide to not have to walk in her enemy Octavian's winning parade and be enslaved. She married twice, to Julius Caesar and to Mark Antony. Both of them died, which could have led to her suicide. She had 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys. She tried to restore Egypt to the way it was before she was even born, to when the pharoahs ruled and the country was even greater. Unfortunately, she died in the process. She is recognized as a strong, determined, educated person and a strong woman of her time.

Application

Today, Octavian won the war and is coming for Egypt. He will disgrace me and enslave me. I will arrange for a merchant to bring me an asp snake that will kill me the fastest and least painful way. I will send a letter to Octavian that I want to be buried with Antony, by the time he arrives it will be too late to stop me. I wish my children could come to, but they are too young and have their whole lives to live ahead of them and Octavian would be suspicious.

Analysis

I think it would be nice to have Cleopatra for a friend .She was smart, tricky, and fun. She had pride and stood up for what she believed in. She would have servants and anything she wanted. She liked to do a lot of things that ordinary women of her time did not do. She was daring. She could travel as much as she wanted.

Synthesis

I think Cleopatra could have been the first woman president because of her determination. She wasn't afraid of what other people thought about her. She just did what she thought was right. She would probably be a famous woman if not president. She would have encouraged women to get out there and make a difference. She would be remembered as a famous person probably wherever or whenever she lived.

Evaluation

I think a biography should have been writen about this person. She was a very interesting person. Her life was always changing and eventful. She was brave and proud. She was very interesting to read about. I chose her to do my report on because I have always been fascinated by the Egyptians and Cleopatra since she had such a fascinating life.

Knowledge

As was the custom, Cleopatra married her younger brother Ptolemy even though he was only 9 and she was 15. Soon the 3 advisors who had been ruling through him drove her out of Egypt. Cleopatra gathered followers and was ready for war against her brother. Julius Caesar tried to prevent the war by meeting both of them and getting them to talk to each other, but Ptolemy ordered his men to surround the meeting place and, if Cleopatra came, to kill her. Cleopatra, hearing the news of her brother's plan, sailed into the harbor on a boat and asked one of the men on the boat to roll her up in a carpet and take her to the meeting place. You can only imagine Caesar's expression when the boy unrolled the carpet to reveal the queen. Caesar fell in love with Cleopatra's wit and intelligence and soon they were married. After Caesar's murder ,which left Cleopatra devastated, she married Mark Antony who was to be her second and last marriage.